


From The Day That I Met You

by larrysbeanies



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Escorts, Bottom Louis, Escort Louis, Fingering, I tried with this, Lawyer Harry, M/M, Riding, Top Harry, i hope it's nice enough, i might have a problem with riding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:02:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7739164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larrysbeanies/pseuds/larrysbeanies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is an escort living his best days in London; Harry's a lawyer new to London. Throw in a fateful day at a pub with a no-show date and who knows what might happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From The Day That I Met You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [judgementdays](https://archiveofourown.org/users/judgementdays/gifts).



> This is a monster, I think. I'm so glad that I finally get to post this because I was losing hope in it but I powered through and forced myself to finish it. I had extreme writer's block for these past few weeks but I've come to learn that a cup of tea five times a day can help with that.
> 
> I used to have tumblr but I don't anymore so I can't link you to my amazing beta Natalie! She was with me for a while until I hit this utterly huge block, but she gave me amazing pointers during her time with me. I'd like to thank my best friend for helping me with the last half of the fic, although he'll probably never see this, I just want to say that I love him and that I'm glad he kept his mind open enough to read gay fanfiction lol.
> 
> I tinkered with the prompt a bit so thanks for leaving it open for me to do so. Anywho, judgement days, I hope you enjoy it! This one's for you :)
> 
> Original prompt: Louis is a mouthy, stubborn, and independent male escort (high-class prostitute) who doesn't really mind his job, thanks to the fact he's living the high life at the moment. After a run-in with his old high school best friend in a bar, however, Louis can't really understand why Harry's booking him every single Friday night, until he does.

Honestly , Louis Tomlinson loves his job.

Sure, it may not fit into the normal definition of the , but it pays the bills and leaves enough for him to splurge every once in a while, so he’s not complaining. It wasn’t always like this, though.

Two years ago he was working raves and a couple concerts as a go-go dancer and he thought about quitting daily. With going to school full-time  and working 6-hour shifts every other night, he basically had no time left for himself and, to be honest, it was really shitty pay. That all changed one fateful night.

 

**_August 19 th, 2014_ **

It was a Tuesday evening in August. The club was packed with people, none of whom were watching Louis since he was already done for the night. He was looking forward to getting home and curling up in bed to watch Mad Men (even if it was two in the morning and he had a 10 A.M. class) but he was stopped on his way out by a blonde man. The guy wasn’t that much taller than Louis and not that much older looking  

Now, Louis wasn’t stupid. He had a stage name that was supposed to be used by anyone trying to address him, even his coworkers, so it was kind of weird that this complete stranger knew his first name. Still, after standing there for ten seconds just looking at the guy, he decided he might as well just answer , lest it make him look like an idiot.

“Yes, I am,” Louis answered.

“My name’s Niall Horan and I was wondering if you had a couple minutes?”

Louis gave the man a once-over. “Look, buddy, if you want a lap dance from me then tough luck, we don’t do that here,” he says, looking sternly at the man.

“Oh God, no,” Niall laughed and showed off a gold band around his left ring finger. “I’m happily married, I just want to talk to you about a possible job opportunity.”

Louis chewed on his bottom lip. He’s not sure how reliable this “job opportunity” can be if this guy’s scouting for future workers in here _,_ but then he thinks that he’s probably just looking for recruits for _another_ club and that seems like a more suitable explanation. Still, who knows what might be waiting for Louis at the end of this deal. Niall looks so hopeful, though, that Louis doesn’t have it in him to say no. “Well, what kind of job is it?” Louis asks.

“I don’t think you’re in the right mind to think about this clearly, you look quite tired,” and Louis chuckles because it’s true. With every ounce of strength he has and with the fakest polite tone possible ( he’s had a long day), he tells Niall he’ll think about it.

“Alright, perfect!” the blonde man chirps. “Here’s my card, call me when you’ve thought it through. I promise, Louis, you won’t regret this decision.” He turns around and starts walking away, but Louis catches up to him and stops him. Niall turns back to him and looks at him expectantly.

 

 

Louis looks down at the card, squinting to be able to see in the poorly-lit room and out the words:

**_Canvas – you describe them, we deliver!_ **

Underneath the company name and slogan, Louis finds Niall’s name and somebody else’s, along with a contact number and an address.

The name doesn’t really help him figure out what this job is, exactly, and neither does the slogan, so he sighs and stuffs it in his pocket, making a mental note to call the next day.

_///_

He ends up forgetting to call the next day and doesn’t even think about the whole thing until a week later, while he’s doing laundry and is going through all of his pants’ pockets to make sure nothing is inside, when he happens across the card.

He looks at it for a minute, and then looks at it some more while he waits for the washer to finish. He still remembers the blonde man quite clearly –he thought he would’ve forgotten his face by now, seeing as it was really dark in the club, but he hadn’t. His mind goes back to the proposition Niall made, working with him in “a better environment” but still “basically doing the same, entertaining clients”.

Would he still be working as a dancer? Maybe doing burlesque shows? What about working at a topless bar? Then again, he lacked what those kinds of bars are popularly known for.

Once the washer is done he puts his clothes in the dryer and sits on the couch, still thinking about the possible job Niall was offering. Louis is still staring at the card twenty minutes later, when his flatmates walk through the front door.

“We come bearing gifts,” Liam declares upon entering, lifting up two bags of takeout.

Louis hums , but doesn’t show any intention of moving, weirdly enough, considering he always jumps at the chance to eat free food.

“Louiiiis, we brought fooooood,” Zayn says as he sits down next to Louis and shakes him, trying to snap him out of his state and get a reaction.

“Yeah, I heard. Hi guys.” Louis is still biting his bottom lip and at this rate, he’s going to end up eating it.

Liam narrows his eyes at him and snatches the small card from Louis’ fingers, the smaller man not making an effort to get it back.

“Canvas? Is this like an art gallery thing?” he asks, while handing the card to Zayn.

Louis snorts and rolls his eyes at Liam, all while getting up from the couch to get his food from the kitchen table. Apparently, there are burritos for dinner.

“C’mon Li, we all know that if one of us gets offered a job at a gallery, that person is going to be Zayn.” Louis knows he’s right, considering Zayn majored in art. Liam is studying to become an engineer and doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body. W  he still can’t draw or paint to save his life; he can barely draw a stick figure. “Also, considering that the guy that offered me the job came up to me after watching me dance in a cage wearing basically nothing, I don’t really think he works at an art gallery.”

Liam has the nerve to blush and look away. Louis knows he can’t really help it, but both him and Zayn know about Louis’ line of work and while they were iffy about it in the past (“ _Louis_ , you’re going to be taking your clothes off in front of complete strangers! For money!” he wasn’t though, people often have misconceptions of go-go dancers), they came to accept it once Louis explained that university, rent and food need to be paid for, as well as costumes for shows, and with seven siblings back home he doesn’t have the luxury of asking his mum for money.

“Did you call them yet?” Zayn asks, coming into the kitchen to get his food as well.

Louis shakes his head and wipes his mouth with a napkin. “No, the guy didn’t even tell me what the job is. He just gave me his card and told me I wouldn’t regret calling him.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Zayn asks, through a mouthful of his bean burrito.

“I don’t know, really.” Louis sighs. He puts his burrito down and goes to the fridge to get a beer. “I just think that if he was looking for workers at the club, he might not be that reliable. It might just be someplace seedy, maybe even worse than the one I’m in.”

“But look at the fancy letters, Lou! This guy might have a legit business, for all you know.” Liam, ever the optimist, points out.

“Li, anyone can get fancy business cards done, even on their own.” Zayn rolls his eyes. “Still, Louis, I think you should call him. Fancy lettering aside, who knows, what if Li’s right? Maybe this guy does have a clean business.”

“Could be modeling,” Liam muses from his place on the couch.

Louis looks between his two best friends and makes up his mind. There’s nothing wrong with calling to find out what the job is. At least he’ll look interested –as interested as somebody who calls a week after being offered a job can appear.

“I’m gonna call him.” Louis declares and hops down from where he was perched on the kitchen counter, walking to his room and shutting the door.

He has to go back out because Zayn still has the card, but he throws a “thanks!” over his shoulder when he hears both of his boys wishing him good luck.

 

Niall picks up on the third ring.

“Hi, is this Niall Horan?” Louis asks, timidly.

There’s a pause. “This is he, who’s calling?”

“It’s Louis, from last week?”

“Ah, yes, Louis! I was beginning to think you only took my card to get me out of the way.”

Louis cringes internally because yes, that’s what he was trying to do that night, but after thinking about it so much today, he doesn’t feel the same way anymore. “Yeah, sorry about that. I put the card in my pocket and I just found it earlier today while doing laundry.”

“Ah, I see.” Niall chuckles. “Well, are you calling me to tell me you’re interested? Because I’m hoping you are?”

Louis thinks that this is definitely more formal than a guy wanting him to work at a dirty club, so he leans back on his pillows and relaxes a little. “I am, yes. But I’d like to know what the job is?” He leaves the sentence as a question, in hopes that Niall will stop acting all secretive and just _tell_ him.

Niall laughs. “Alright so, you work at as a go-go dancer and, by the looks of it last week, it’s not that great of an employment place, ?”

“You’re definitely right.” Louis sighs.

“How would you feel about joining mine and my wife’s company?” Louis is _so close_ to hanging up because dammit, can he drop the act? But then Niall continues. “It’s called Canvas, as I’m sure you saw on the card, and we’re an escort business. We have a list of clients that we match to our workers depending on their personality and preferred appearance –the clients’, not the workers, sorry about that- and they pay an established sum of money depending on the amount of time they want to spend with you. You decide how much you’re willing to charge per hour and the money is split 45%-55%, with you having the upper hand.”

Suddenly, Louis feels all air rush out of his lungs.

He can’t say he’s never thought about escorting but he will anyway. “Um, wow, I’ve never thought about escorting before.”

“I know it’s scary, but I can assure you we do background checks on all our clients and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Niall reassures. “We’ve been in the business for about three years and so far, so good, but we’ve been wanting to expand our clientele and that includes patrons, so we need to improve our workforce as well. I take it you’re gay, right?”

“Niall, can I call you Niall? You picked me up dancing during a gay rave night… draw your own conclusions.” Louis chuckles.

“You’d be surprised at the amount of straight men I’ve accidentally approached at gay clubs!” Niall laughs. “But, as I was saying before, you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but I need to remind you that sometimes clients want… _more_ than just a companion.”

Louis bites at his bottom lip worriedly. He really needs to stop doing that. “I’m aware, yeah.”

Niall pauses for a second and all you can hear through the line is both of them breathing. “So, what do you say? I showed my wife a picture of you and she absolutely loved you. I promise we’ll take good care of you.”

“I don’t know, Niall…” Louis sighs and closes his eyes, pressing his palm to his forehead. It really is a lot to think about; it’s basically prostitution but with another name to make it sound less harsh.

“Tell you what,” Niall starts. “How about you come down to the house tomorrow and you can look around, meet my wife as well as some of the girls, so you can get a feel of what it would be like? You can talk to any of the girls and ask them whatever you want, that way you can make your decision knowing the pros and cons of everything.”

Louis thinks about it for a second and decides it’s a good idea. He tells Niall as such.

“Great then! I’ll see you tomorrow at around 2?”

“Perfect.” Louis says. They bid their goodbyes and hang up, with the promise of meeting the next day.

Louis flops down on his bed and looks at the ceiling, phone forgotten on his bedside table.

_Escorting_ , he thinks, _who would’ve thought?_

_///_

The following day  he’s at a three-story house just outside of the city and he’s fairly impressed. He’s not sure what he was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t this. The building is painted an off-white color, with two floor-to-ceiling columns in front of the entrance; there are big windows in every floor and there is a very pretty garden filled with colorful flowers that wraps around the house.

He steps up to the door and knocks on it, waits for a second before going to knock again, but the door opens and there’s a fairly small woman with big blue eyes looking at him. “You must be Louis! Niall showed me a picture of you and said you’d be by today. My name is Barbara.” She hugs him and pulls him into the house, closing the door.

It’s quite a large house, and there are attractive girls walking around. Some of them are alone, but most of them are with men, all looking polished and refined in their business suits. The girls are wearing normal, but well-fitted clothing, and high heels appear to be the only uniform staple that they have to wear.

Barbara brings him over to a bar just past the staircase into a large living area furnished with leather couches, some TVs and coffee tables. She tells him to sit at the counter while she goes around and fixes both of them a drink.

“So,” Barbara says as she leans over the counter. “Niall told me you’re still undecided?”

“Yeah, I am.” Louis nods. “It’s just- it’s such a different environment than dancing; at the club there are boundaries that clients aren’t _supposed_ to cross, and even if they do, I have bouncers close to me that can put a stop to it. Escorting is totally different because the client can book me out of here, right? And we could be alone in a hotel room or his house and I’m just, scared, I guess, that something might happen.”

Barbara nods in understanding and sips her drink, contemplating her response. “I definitely understand where you’re coming from. But, I think Niall told you that we do background checks on the clients?” want to know that whoever our girls, or in your case, boy, are working with are decent human beings. We rule out anyone with a criminal record, as well as drug addictions, since some of our workers are recovering addicts and we don’t want them to relapse.”

“That’s actually very reassuring,” Louis chuckles. “Where I work our boss doesn’t really care what we do or how we’re treated, he just wants the money. A couple months ago a girl overdosed on heroin in the bathroom, actually, and he just told the bouncers to take her to her flat and to call the police from there so the quote-establishment-unquote didn’t get in trouble.”

“That’s so sad, Louis, I’m sorry.” Barbara lays a hand on his own and squeezes, trying to get his attention. “Niall and I make sure our girls are in a safe place all the time as well as being treated respectably. You have every right to refuse a client if you want to and you report to us if anything happens, though I doubt it, considering every client on our list signs a contract that states that they cannot do anything about the situation if a worker decides she or he is not up for it. You really have nothing to worry about.”

Louis lets go of her hand and takes a big gulp of his drink, then looks up at Barbara through his eyelashes. “Niall said 45-55%?”

Barbara laughs and nods.

And so it starts.

 

**_December 17 th, 2015_ **

“Louis, babe, could you come here for a second?” Louis hears Barbara yell as soon as he opens the door to the house. As he walks to the office, where he heard her voice come from, he says hello to a couple of the other girls that have the same shift as him.

He finds Barbara writing something in his book – it’s a small notebook that all the workers get with their picture on the front cover, their stats, likes and dislikes written in the first pages and the rest of the pages are for jotting down their upcoming dates.

“Hey, good morning,” he says as he leans down to kiss her cheek. She urges him to sit down and asks him if he wants a cup of tea. He accepts the offer and waits for her for a couple minutes while she goes to the kitchen and fixes them both a cup. When she comes back, she hands him his mug and opens his book again as well as a folder she already had on top of her desk.

“I just got a call from a new client asking to book you for next Saturday. His name’s Harvey and he’s a lawyer in London with a Christmas party coming up.” Barbara hands him the folder so he can look over the client’s profile.

He’s definitely attractive: clear blue eyes and tan skin, with dark brown hair and a short beard that seems to be well-kept. His smile is to die for, all white teeth and friendly aura; Louis is having a really hard time wondering why this guy needs to book a date –Louis would’ve seen him in the streets and _politely_ asked to lick his whole body and face.

His profile says he’s tall enough for Louis, 6’1 to be exact, and he’s in his early forties. He makes six figures a year and his likes almost resemble Louis’. So, yes, definitely Louis’ type.

“Honestly, why does he need to book a date?” Louis asks, bewildered.

Barbara chuckles. “It’s a mystery to me, actually. But he called and said somebody recommended you, and wanted to see if you were as amazing as the other guy said.”

Louis thinks about his last dates and tries to place any lawyers from London he might’ve gone out with but draws a blank. Maybe Richard, the fifty-something financial advisor at Cooper-Long, who always booked him just to take him out to dinner and go back to his place to talk about how his week had been. He was a lonely guy who just discovered he liked men –that was the root of his marital problems and main cause of his recent divorce.

Richard was one of Louis’ favorite clients because they always had a good time without the need of anything _too_ sexual happening between them, maybe a snog here and there, since Richard had told Louis he wasn’t ready to do anything more just yet. They had a sort of bond that Louis didn’t have with any other clients, which was great because his relationship with clients is supposed to be all business; it would be a shit show if he got personal with everyone.

“Lou, you there?” Barbara asks, waving a hand in front of his face. Louis snaps out of it, realizing he zoned out.

He gives Barbara the folder back. “Tell him yes, definitely, totally. What’s the date time?”

“He says he needs you from six to around twelve, dinner and transportation included, and that he’ll just need you for the party.” Barbara reads from a blue post-it note on the back of the folder. “So I was thinking normal rate? Since it’s not overnight.”

Louis nods and stands up. “Yeah, alright. I have to do laundry today, so you won’t see me unless you go to the basement. Let me know what he says.”

Barbara nods and sends him on his way, promising to make lunch for them later, since most of the girls will be out for dates by then.

 

**_December 19 th, 2015_ **

Louis is in his room at the house, deciding on if a white shirt would make him look more like a waiter than a maroon shirt. He decides that yes, it would, and pulls the maroon shirt from the hanger, putting it on his body and tucking it into his black dress pants. He takes out a pair of black suspenders and a black, fitted blazer from the closet, as well as a pair of black dress shoes and puts them on in that order.

He moves to the bathroom to put on his contacts, brush his teeth and make some final touch-ups to his hair. Once he’s done with that he goes back to his room to grab his wallet and his phone, then he goes downstairs and sits in the living room to wait for the car to pick him up.

He talks with Regina and Chris, the only two gingers the company has to offer, until Barbara comes to get him, telling him the car is waiting for him. He bids goodbye to the three of them and heads out the door, greeting the chauffeur holding the door of a black SUV open for him.

Harvey isn’t there, but Louis already knew that because Barbara had told him yesterday that he asked to meet each other at the restaurant. Louis appreciated the fact that even if he wasn’t picking him up himself, he sent someone to get him from Wembley to London; he didn’t really fancy getting on the tube in his getup.

Forty minutes later the car is pulling up to a restaurant called Aqua Shard and Louis is a bit put off by the fact that this place needs a _lobby_ of all things, but then he’s directed to an elevator and he gets it. When the doors open, he’s met by a panoramic view of the London skyline; the restaurant has an open concept, so there are no actual corners in the room, and everyone gets a piece of the amazing view.

Louis walks up to the hostess and asks if Harvey is already there.

“Smith, party of two? Right this way, Mr. Smith is waiting for you.” She turns and starts walking to a table in the back of the restaurant, pressed up right against the window.

Louis feels his hands shaking as Harvey stands up and _wow_. He’s even more attractive in person.

His hair is slicked back with gel, but not that much so it looks a bit effortless still; he’s wearing a gray suit with a white shirt and a red tie, and the bulky watch on his left wrist says Cartier but spells “power” with every second that passes. Harvey steps out from behind the table and leans down to kiss his cheek hello, all the while slipping an arm around Louis’ waist and pulling him closer.

“You’re even more beautiful in person, Louis,” Harvey says as he pulls back Louis’ chair so he could sit down. He goes to sit down himself and, once he does, he puts his elbows on the table and folds his hands under his chin.

Louis shrinks a bit under his gaze, Harvey’s eyes boring into his face. The silence is a bit awkward, since Harvey is just _staring_ at him, but their waiter comes to ask what their drink orders would be and the tension fades away a little as they both decide on a bottle of wine.

Harvey orders a bottle of Merlot, “Since it can be paired with anything on this menu”, and once they have their drinks in hand, they get to talking.

“Sorry I was staring at you so intensely, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Harvey starts, a blush creeping up on his cheeks.

Louis smiles shyly and takes a sip of his drink. “It’s alright, really, I’ve had worse clients.”

“About that, how did you get into this anyway?” Louis is a bit taken aback by his forwardness. It’s not every day that clients ask him how he started in this business on the first date.

He tells Harvey as much. “Uh, not to be rude but I don’t deem appropriate you asking me how I began doing this, on a first date nonetheless.”

Harvey holds his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, my bad. It’s just, I’ve never done this before and it’s all so new.”

Louis smiles a little and traces his index finger over the rim of his wine glass. “I’ll tell you something: if you’re nervous that someone will find out what you’re doing with me, they won’t. To anyone else, if they’re nosey enough to be poking into our business, this is just another first date between strangers, just like any other.”

Harvey follows the movement of his finger with his eyes and then snaps his gaze back up to his face, his blue eyes so enticing. “You are seriously not what I expected.”

Louis chuckles at that. “Should I even ask what you expected or am I going to be let down?”

“Depends on how high your standards are set,” Harvey challenges.

“Quite high,” Louis leans back on his chair and crosses his arms over his chest, squinting his eyes a little at the older man sitting in front of him. “C’mon, hit me.”

Harvey just smiles.

_///_

“ _No_!” Louis gasps, his eyes wide. “That actually happened? And you still got to keep your job?”

Harvey was in the middle of telling him the story of how his interview with his old boss went. Apparently, he grabbed the wrong briefcase before getting off the tube and ended up with four bags of weed instead of his résumés, cover letters and certificates. To top it all off, the phony briefcase busted open as soon as he entered the room, when he hit it on the corner of a table. Not that great of a first impression.

“It didn’t go as bad as I thought it would. He just looked me up and down and said _“well this is a first”_ and even helped me pick up all the bags.” Harvey laughs.

They had just finished dinner and were waiting for their server to bring Harvey’s card back so they could get going to the party. Harvey had told him that it started at eight but it was nearing nine and they still hadn’t left; apparently Harvey had a thing for being fashionably late.

Once the server came back with the card, they thanked him, Harvey left a tip and helped Louis stand up, leading him out of the restaurant with a hand on his lower back. In the parking lot, Louis noticed the SUV he came in wasn’t there, but Harvey’s silver Lexus was.

On the drive to the venue Harvey let Louis choose the music, which Louis greatly appreciated, since he wasn’t a fan of Top 40 songs. They bonded over their mutual love for The Killers and Harvey promised he’d let Louis see his record collection one day. Louis’ stomach flipped when the prospect of another date came up.

It’s not that Louis _likes_ this guy but he can definitely see Harvey becoming one of his regular clients. Maybe if they weren’t in this setting, he could see himself getting to know him because he would want to and not because it’s somewhat necessary for the job. He won’t let it get to his head though, this generally happens on first dates –considering the company does background checks on these people and that they scan the likes and dislikes of both the worker and the client, the workers never get paired up with weirdos _or_ clients they could find boring, so as to keep the conversation going throughout the date.

Once at the venue, Louis was amazed. It was a flurry of expensive cars, beautiful women _and_ men, as well as very powerful-looking individuals that had them draped on their jewelry-clad arms. Servers ran left and right carrying trays full of champagne glasses filled almost to the brim, handing them out to anyone with their palm open.

Harvey led Louis to the center of the room to introduce him to his colleagues and clients, some of which were long-time friends of his. Louis wasn’t talking much –he felt he didn’t have much to offer in a world where law was the common ground, so he just stayed quiet, sipping on his champagne and keeping himself tucked under Harvey’s arm.

Nothing eventful happened during the party, which was more of a networking event anyway, but at one point the band played music the people could actually _dance to_ so Harvey pulled Louis onto the dancefloor and swayed with him for a while.

At eleven, Louis had to awkwardly remind Harvey (in private, of course) that they were crunched for time and they should get going, so Harvey excused himself and Louis as well, bidding goodbye to everyone and drinking one last glass of champagne (“One for the road,” Harvey said).

Louis got to pick the music again on their way back to the house (Harvey told him it was only fair he drive him back since he didn’t pick him up) and they tried to hold a conversation, but five minutes into it Louis leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes for a minute, only opening them when Harvey ran his hand through Louis’ hair, messing it up a little in the process, but Louis didn’t really seem to care.

“Lou, we’re here,” Harvey whispered, his yes roaming over Louis’ face and body. He pulled his hand back and got out of the car, letting Louis blink the sleep away as he rounded the car and opened the passenger side, helping Louis get out.

Louis leaned against the car, crossing his arms and looking up at Harvey as he came closer. Harvey’s left hand trailed up Louis’ side until he placed it on the side of his neck, his thumb on Louis’ chin. Louis uncrossed his arms and placed them on Harvey’s chest, smirking.

“I don’t kiss on the first date,” Louis whispered.

Harvey bit his lip and his eyes flitted from Louis’ eyes to his lips and back. “Well,” he started. “Too bad I do.”

With that, he closed the distance between them, capturing Louis’ lips in a kiss that made Louis’ toes tingle. Harvey’s kisses were soft but demanding, biting at Louis’ bottom lip while placing both hands on Louis’ hips, pinning him against the side of the car. Louis opened his mouth just a little, letting Harvey completely take over and enjoying every second of it.

They pulled back after a moment, gasping for air. Louis giggled (he fucking _giggled_ ) and stood on his tiptoes to press one chaste kiss to Harvey’s lips, ducking out from under him and starting to walk to the entrance of the house. He saw Niall’s head in the den from the window –probably watching Netflix with Barbara, and he turned back to wave goodbye to Harvey, only to be met with chest.

“Thank you for a wonderful night, Louis. It was lovely.” Harvey said, looking down at Louis.

Louis smiled and slipped his arms around Harvey’s neck, while the older man slipped his own around Louis’ waist. Their hug lasted a couple seconds, when they broke apart Harvey kissed Louis’ cheek and turned him around, pushing him gently towards the door.

Louis opened it and turned back around, to see Harvey leave. The man stood in front of his car and called out, “I’m gonna see you again, I know it.”

Louis laughed, “Goodnight Harvey!” and promptly shut the door.

 

**_January 3 rd, 2016_ **

The first thing Louis notices when he enters the pub is that nothing beats the feeling of warmth. He was freezing his balls off on his walk from the tube station to here and it’s nobody’s fault but his –he should’ve taken up Harvey’s offer when he told him he’d pick him up. He looks around the place for a bit after leaving his coat in the coatroom but doesn’t find Harvey; he must be running late.

Louis decides to go back to the empty booth he mentally flagged down when he came in earlier, but right as he turns around he bumps into someone. Said someone then proceeds to spill their drink all over the front of Louis’ very nice shirt.

“Great,” Louis moans, looking down his front. There’s an enormous stain that covers the middle of his shirt all the way down to his navel, and it reeks of whiskey.

“Oh, mate I’m so sorry,” the other person apologizes.

Louis looks up, ready to tell this guy to mind where the fuck he’s going the next time but the words die in his throat because he knows this person.

“Shit, Harry? Harry Styles?” Louis asks.

“ _Louis?_ ” And Harry looks equally surprised.

Out of all the people Louis could’ve ran into, ever, it had to be his old college friend whom he pined over during its entirety. Louis’ life should be a TV show, really.

“I haven’t seen you in such a long time!” Harry exclaims. “You look… different.”

The once-over Harry gives him makes Louis squirm, but not in a bad way. Louis takes in this new, _grown_ Harry and he just. He remembers this chubby yet lanky boy, tripping in the hallways more often than not, a tight brown curls atop his head.

Now, this _man_ is standing in front of him looking like he just stepped out of a magazine with a black button-up, sheer enough that Louis can make out a couple tattoos adorning his torso, skin-tight jeans and loose curly hair that reaches his shoulders. Harry towers over Louis now, and really, why did they ever stop talking after Year 8? Oh yeah, because Louis was in love with him.

Louis realizes he’s been quiet for too long. “Uh, yeah, I know! How have you been?”

“Pretty good, yeah. Sorry about your shirt,” Harry says, scratching the back of his neck, a flush creeping up on his cheeks.

Louis feels like he’s falling in love all over again.

He looks down at his shirt and wrinkles his nose at the smell of whiskey, then brings his gaze back up to the man in front of him. “It’s alright, shit happens sometimes.” He shrugs.

“No but, just- wait here, I’ll be right back.” And then Harry’s off, leaving Louis next to the bar. Still weirdly endearing, then.

Louis is sitting down by the time Harry gets back; he has already gotten himself a vodka with redbull and he’s checked his phone at least twice to see if he missed a call from Barbara to tell him why Harvey still isn’t there –it’s unlike him to show up late. Harry brings a lavender jumper in his hand and hands it to Louis.

At the smaller man’s confused look, Harry clarifies, “put it on so you can hide the stain.”

“Won’t it reek of alcohol later, though?” Louis raises an eyebrow.

“There are these new inventions where you can put dirty clothes in and they magically come out clean, did you know?” Louis is trying _really hard_ not to slap this kid right now.

“Shut up, oh my god,” Louis blushes. He doesn’t remember ever seeing so much confidence exuding from him before and he doesn’t really know what happened.

Well, puberty happened, but still.

Louis decides to stop being an idiot and puts on the jumper, internally swooning over how huge it looks on him. “Looks good on you,” Harry says.

“Everything looks good on me,” Louis bites back.

Harry chuckles and sits down on the empty stool next to Louis. “So, who are you here with?”

“I’m supposed to be waiting for someone, but they’re really late, which is weird of them,” Louis says and takes a sip of his drink after. “Who are _you_ here with?”

Harry’s about to reply but Louis’ phone ringing cuts him off. He lifts up a finger as if signaling Harry to wait a minute.

“Lou, Harvey’s not gonna make it,” Barbara says when he picks up. “His driver got delayed on his way from picking a client up at the airport and he has no car.”

“Alright, just tell him I was looking forward to his first time in a pub,” Louis sighs. He hears Barbara laugh and bids her goodbye, stuffing his phone back in his pocket.

“Guess I’m not waiting for anyone tonight,” Louis smiles, looking at Harry.

Harry chuckles. “Good, me neither.”

Louis tries not to smile too big at that.

_///_

They end up talking until almost eleven, never ordering more than their first drinks. Harry buys chips for them to share but they go cold, the conversation’s that good. Surprisingly, Harry never tells Louis exactly _why_ he’s in London, but neither does Louis so it’s alright.

Until it isn’t.

“So, Louis, what do you do?” Harry asks.

“I do a lot of things, if you must know,” Louis can’t let Harry know about his actual job, so his best bet is to deflect.

“Of course you do,” Harry rolls his eyes. “But like, I’m here because I just got hired at a law firm, so what do you _do_?”

Deflecting didn’t last long. “I’m, uh, an escort?” He poses it like a question and expects Harry to run for the hills, but he doesn’t. Harry doesn’t run; he just raises his eyebrows and looks at Louis up and down. Louis feels really exposed right now.

“Really? Never imagined it, to be honest,” Harry hums.

“Yeah, it’s just money’s tight here and back home so I try to help any way I can.”

Harry nods at this. “No, yeah, definitely, I get it. It’s cool though,” Louis was _not_ expecting that. “You get to meet a lot of people that way, and it’s clean money anyway, I guess.”

_Is this guy for real?_ , Louis thinks.

His face must give way to his disbelief because Harry laughs. “What, did you expect me to be a dick about it?”

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect you to take it so well,” Louis smiles.

“It’s not my place to judge, and if you like doing it, who the hell am I to tell you not to?”

Louis is definitely falling in love again.

_///_

Exchanging numbers seems to slip their minds that night and neither of them realizes it until it’s too late and they’re both in their respective homes. Louis falls asleep thinking about the boy with the green eyes, the one he stopped talking to after realizing his true feelings, in fear of being hurt.

He never gave Harry his jumper back.

**_January 8 th, 2016_ **

Louis doesn’t have to wait too long to see Harry again.

Just a couple of days later Harvey called to arrange another date with him and procedure was the same as always: someone would pick Louis up at the escort house and take him to wherever they were meeting, but today Louis is getting off an Uber in front of Harvey’s office building. He offered to meet Harvey at the restaurant they were going to, but the older man told Louis no, and to meet him at his work.

In the lobby, he gets into an elevator and hits the button up to the 25th floor, where Harvey mentioned his office was in. As soon as he steps out of the elevator he’s met with a big reception lobby with a paneled crystal wall that separated it from the offices.

He walks up to one of the two receptionists sitting at the desks and asks for Harvey. “He’s in a meeting right now, he’ll be out in a minute,” she says. “What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t. It’s Louis, Louis Tomlinson.”

“Oh!” she exclaims as she stands up from her chair. “He’s expecting you, actually. Come with me.”

She then takes him down the long corridor that gives way to Harvey’s office, giving him an eyeful of the powerful men and women that work there, most sitting inside their own work spaces, typing into a computer, arguing on the phone or even just reading the newspaper. It’s a relatively quiet environment but it’s still bustling with people doing all sorts of things: interns getting coffee for their boss, somebody ran past Louis pushing a mail cart, and each partner apparently has their own receptionist, whom are busy taking phonecalls and jotting down notes to notice Louis at all.

He bumps into the woman that was leading him because he was so distracted. She turns around and she blushes, excusing himself. “Don’t worry, I know it can seem crazy around here but this is a good day.” She laughs.

She pushes open a glass door and gestures Louis to walk inside the office, telling him to wait for Harvey inside, since his receptionist is in the file room and won’t be back for a while. She leaves and Louis is left on his own, so he decides to do what he does best. He snoops.

Harvey has three enormous bookcases and Louis learns they’re filled with different things once he walks up to them. One has law books, “Figures,”; another is full of old records and the last one has a mix of books, magazines and some pictures of Harvey, most of which appear to be during work functions.

“Boy, do I have some news for you. Remember the Steward case? Turns out there was tampering; you need to get on this- _Louis?_ ” Louis almost jumps out of his skin.

But the thing is, Harry’s there. Harry’s there, looking very well put together in a black suit, white button-up and a navy tie and it’s just. He looks good. _Really_ good.

“What are you doing here?” Louis croaks.

Harry looks at him funny. “I work here. What are _you_ doing here?”

And shit.

_Shitshitshitshitshit._

“Louis.” Harry’s still looking at him funny.

“I, uh, I’m here to see Harvey?” he leaves it as a question and he’s not sure why but it probably has something to do with how downright _eatable_ Harry looks in those clothes.

“Do you need legal help?” Harry asks again, this time with a frown on his face and no he shouldn’t be frowning, there’s nothing to be sad about here, honestly.

Louis shakes his head.

“Well then why are you- _oh_ ,” Realization dawns on Harry and his eyes widen.

“Yeah,” Louis chuckles.

Louis watches him walk to Harvey’s desk and leave on it the folders he was holding and Louis just. Harry’s legs look so _long_ in those dress pants and his hair is slicked back with gel, but he left his curls alone, they fall in soft ringlets to his shoulders. And it’s just. Louis is staring.

Louis is staring and Harry noticed because he’s chuckling at how _red_ Louis’ face is and Louis doesn’t get embarrassed. He’s loud, energetic and he can make anyone fall over with just a look, but it’s different with Harry. He’s only seen him twice since those ten years passed and he hasn’t been able to stand his ground like he usually does.

 “So, I see you’ve met Harry?” Harvey asks, walking into the office.

Harry snaps his gaze from Louis over to his boss and Louis stops zoning out, just in time to receive Harvey’s hug and kiss. Louis accepts them both eagerly and sits down on the couch in front of Harvey’s bookcases.

“Fuck,” Harvey groans. He’s sitting at his desk now, reading the folders Harry left on there and Louis zones out again when he hears both of them talking some legal bullshit he can’t be bothered with.

He starts thinking about and looking at Harry again. The way he looks right now, talking surely and gesturing with his hands. He has big hands, Louis notices, and wonders what they would feel like touching him, grabbing his waist; pressing him down on a mattress while Harry does whatever he wants to him; running through his hair while he kisses Louis with those plump pink lips and he needs to stop. He’s almost sporting a semi and it’s not the time or place to be thinking about that.

He’ll save it for his shower tonight.

Harvey stands and comes to sit next to Louis. “Louis, I can’t do the date tonight because of some complications with this case we were about to close,” he genuinely looks bummed and Louis feels happy, almost, that Harvey enjoys his company as much as he the older man’s. “You can go home, if you want, I’ll, uh, I’ll do the transaction either way.” He whispers the last part, careful not to let Harry listen.

“He knows, Harvey, don’t worry.” Louis giggles.

“Wait, how?” Harvey asks. “Has he booked you before?”

Louis hears Harry clear his throat and he looks over to the taller man to find him blushing. “We’ve known each other since Sixth, actually. We saw each other at the pub last week for the first time since then, though, so it hasn’t really been a recurring friendship.”

Havey hums. “Well, that’s good, I guess.” He stands up and brushes imaginary dust off his pants, then looks to Louis. “If you want, I can send you home with my driver. I have to meet with the client and Harry here needs to head to the file room and look for any other loose ends.”

“I can stay and help, if you want?” Louis looks between both men as he says this.

Harry and Harvey look at each other. “Are you sure?” Harry asks Louis, almost with a grim expression on his face. “It’s not really fun, what I’m about to do.”

“I know rifling through papers isn’t the definition of _fun_ , but I have nothing else to do and I don’t really wanna go home so,” Louis shrugs. “Why not?”

Harvey claps his hands once. “Alright then,” he holds his hand out to help Louis up from the couch. “I have to head out now; Harry’ll show you the way to the file room. I’ll see you soon, Lou.”

He hugs Louis again before nodding at Harry and walking out the door.

“Shall we?” Harry asks, egging Louis to go first.

“You’re the one that knows where the room is, innit?” And Louis mostly does this to spite him, but Harry falls for it anyway.

“Well yeah, but I was just trying to be polite,” Harry is a dear, truly.

“Oh c’mon Haz, I’m just joking!” Louis tries not to stammer after he accidentally calls him the nickname, making it seem as if it was planned.

He also tries not to smile when he sees Harry’s eyes widen just a little after he hears it.

_///_

Two hours later they’re surrounded by mountains of papers and Chinese takeout boxes. The office floor is empty, seeing as everyone’s workday ends at eight and it’s now almost ten. They haven’t really done much work, but Harry assured that he went through the client’s file box this afternoon and didn’t find anything else except the folders Harvey already has, so Louis didn’t really have to worry.

They were waiting for Harvey to call, just in case they needed to do something else. So far, nothing.

Louis’ just finished eating his last egg roll when Harry moves the files in front of him and puts his feet on the table, leaning back on his chair. “So, Louis, how did you end up being an escort?”

If Louis had any food in his mouth he would’ve choked on it, but his own spit would suffice for now. “What- why do you wanna know?” He splutters.

“I don’t know, there’s nothing to do right now and your line of work seems way more interesting than mine so, let’s talk about it. If you don’t mind, of course,” He’s quick to clarify.

“Well… I mean, I don’t-“ Louis stammers for a moment, not really knowing where to start. “I used to go-go dance and my current boss came up to me after a rave, gave me his card and told me to give him a call because he’d like to work with me. I ended up forgetting all about him and called him like, a week too late. And I thought I’d lost the opportunity but I did it anyway; you don’t know if you don’t try, right? I ended up getting the job and here I am.”

Harry takes out his used chopsticks from his empty takeout box, wipes them down with a napkin and starts using them as drumsticks, banging against the table. “What’s it like?”

“Being an escort?” Harry nods.

“It’s- interesting, to say the least,” Louis muses.

“Do you get a lot of old men that ask to smell your feet?” Harry smirks, still hitting his chopsticks against the table. He’s changed to a steadier tune now, contrasting with the earlier, faster tune.

“Where the hell have you been getting your information?” Louis snorts. “Most clients are older men, yeah, but it’s because there aren’t a lot of young guys that can afford an escort. Regarding the foot smelling situation, the agency I work for doesn’t let us do more than dates, which is why I work with them.”

Harry stops playing for a moment and looks at Louis. They’re both quiet and Louis _feels_ rather than sees Harry’s gaze all over his face. He feels as if he’s under a microscope, being scrutinized for any cracks or flaws, and Harry must sense his embarrassment because he quickly looks away.

It doesn’t look as if Harry’s going to say anything more, but now that they started talking about it, Louis can’t stop. “Before I did this I used to think the industry was all bullshit,” Harry’s eyes are on him again. “I thought escorts were basically undercover prostitutes, and I’m not sure if all agencies work like mine, but it’s actually pretty decent. Men enjoy my companion and I never turn down a good dinner or drinks at a nice bar so, it works.”

“But what if the guy you end up with is a total creep?” Harry asks, returning to his ministrations with the chopsticks. Louis misses his gaze.

“My agency is really serious; before a client can book any of us my bosses do a background check on them, so we don’t get killed or hurt on the job. Like I said, it’s pretty decent work.”

Harry’s phone starts buzzing from where it is on the table and he picks up. Louis listens to him talk all while admiring his defined jawline, his hair and his whole profile, and Louis’ mind goes back to _why_ he never told this guy about his true feelings when he had the chance. Maybe he could’ve had a weight lifted off his shoulders by now, but then again maybe not, who knows.

“That was Harvey,” Harry says when he hangs up. “He’s at dinner with the client because they decided eating and talking was better than drinking and talking, so he’s gonna be late. He said we can go home though, I can drop you off if you want?”

“Oh, great, I need to sleep,” Louis groans as he sits up and stretches, his joints stiff from sitting for so long. “Shit, wait,” he deflates quickly. “I can’t go home tonight because my roommates aren’t expecting me tonight, so they’re probably fucking on every available surface right now.”

Harry barks a laugh at that and Louis doesn’t even know why, it’s not that funny. But the way Harry laughs so loudly, slapping a hand over his mouth and looking over at Louis with embarrassment, but Louis just finds it endearing. “Well, I’d let you crash at mine but my ex’s stuff is still there and there’s no space right now.”

“Oh, did you break up with her long ago?” Louis knows he’s being nosy but he doesn’t really care; it won’t hurt to know if Harry’s single.

“Well we broke up because he wanted to go back to Manchester after three months of living here and us getting a flat, but my parents said they’d paid half my rent if I paid the other half and whatever other expenses I have. We were dating for two years while we were in law school, but he couldn’t get any work here in London so he was really bummed out that he had to, basically, be a stay-at-home boyfriend.” Harry starts putting away all the files and Louis stops stuffing the takeout boxes in the trash bag, looks at Harry and doesn’t say anything. “What?”

“Boyfriend?” Louis asks, not even believing the words when the words come out of his mouth. “You had a _boyfriend_?”

“Uh, yeah,” Harry says, a bit confused at Louis’ question.

“I thought you were straight, what the fuck?” Louis is really confused right now.

“I don’t really like labels,” Harry says. “I just like people, plain and simple.”

Louis wants to cry.

He wants to cry because if he’d known this ten years ago everything would’ve been different. Granted, Harry probably didn’t know this about himself ten years ago, but maybe if they still talked during that time, things might’ve come out differently, maybe they could’ve even been together at one point. Although Louis knows that’s wishful thinking, who knows if Harry would’ve liked him anyway?

“Lou?” Harry’s done putting away the files and Louis isn’t even halfway done with the trash, so Harry comes over and starts helping him, his big hands doing twice the work Louis’ could’ve done in the same amount of time.

“No yeah, that’s, um, that’s cool, I guess,” Louis says, his mind whirring with all the possible scenarios in his head.

Harry finishes putting away the trash and picks his phone from the table, leading the way out of the room.

And that’s that.

_///_

Once they’re inside Harry’s car Louis turns on the radio and is surprised to find Taylor Swift playing through the speakers. He wrinkles his nose and looks at Harry. “Ew, really?”

“Hey, I need to know what the youngins are listening to these days,” Harry holds his hands up in defense. “It isn’t my fault most of it is Top 40!”

Louis mouths “youngins”, looking at Harry with disbelief and shakes his head but says no more. That is, until Harry asks where he’s staying and Louis gives him the address to the agency. After that, Louis puts his head against the window and drifts off.

When he comes to, they’re parked outside the agency and Harry’s staring at him.

“You’re being creepy,” Louis mumbles, sleep laced with his voice.

“Not really,” Harry shrugs. “I’ve only been staring at you for ten minutes.”

Louis chuckles and rolls his eyes, but makes no move to get out of the car. “Tonight was fun, doing nothing with all those papers.”

Harry fucking _giggles_. “Yeah, we definitely have to do that again.”

“Yeah,” Louis smiles softly.

A couple minutes pass without them saying anything, Harry staring at the street in front of them and Louis staring at his hands, a song Louis vaguely recognizes is playing softly and it’s nice. It’s calm.

“Here, gimme your phone,” Harry blurts suddenly.

Louis does as told and takes Harry’s phone, putting in his number while Harry does the same.

“You should put the agency’s number in, in case I want to book you,” Harry jokes.

Louis rolls his eyes. “Yeah, right.”

Harry gives his phone back and Louis does the same, kissing him quickly on the cheek and hurriedly getting out of the car. He yells “Thanks for the lift!” as he runs up the steps leading towards the house. He hears the gravel crunch a couple seconds later, signaling Harry left.

 

 

**_January 12 th, 2016_ **

“Louis!” Barbara calls from the office.

He just got to the agency and was planning on taking a nap (he had a date last night with Harvey and it went longer than expected), but apparently that won’t be feasible. He walks into the office and takes a seat in front of Barbara’s desk. She hands him a folder and, okay.

It’s Harry.

“Um,” Louis starts.

“Harry Styles called and asked for you by name, guess you got some fans out there that are recommending you already?” Barbara smirks.

“Good things can’t be kept secret, now can they?” Louis quips back.

“I guess not. Your date is Friday at six, he said he would pick you up and is expected to bring you back here by ten,” Barbara instructs.

He nods and watches her jot down the specifics in Louis’ book; she lets him leave and he does, fishing out his phone from his pocket while going up the stairs to his designated room. He sends Harry a text.

_Really, Harry?_

The man replies in less than a minute. So much for working at a law firm.

**What? x –H**

_You BOOKED me? Also, aren’t you working?_

**I did and I am, but I’m in the file room so I can do whatever I want. x –H**

_Why the hell did you do that? And suuuure, so long as nobody goes in and you don’t get caught_

**Because my cousin’s getting married and I need a date. Shut up, let me be a rebel in my own way. x –H**

_Couldn’t you just ask me to go like a normal person? Or idk ask someone from work?_

**I’ve only been here 3 months I don’t think I’m on that level with anyone here yet. x –H**

Before Louis can reply, Harry sends another text.

**Plus this way you have no choice but to come with me, you can’t say no :))) x –H**

_You’re such an idiot omg_

**Heeeey :( x –H**

_Just stating the facts_

**You’re mean, did you know that? –H**

_WHAT!? Nooooo I’m like the sweetest person to ever live_

**Pretty sure ‘sweet’ doesn’t fit your description. –H**

_Oh yeah? What does, then?_

**Breathtaking. x –H**

_You’re so full of shit_

 

If Harry sends him a string of poop emojis after that, nobody has to know.

 

**_January 15 th, 2016_ **

Louis is waiting in the living room when Harry pulls up to the agency. He lets Niall and Barbara know he’s leaving, grabs his coat and locks the door on the way out.

He’s surprised to find The Killers playing in Harry’s car when he opens the door and gets in. He doesn’t mask his amusement as he looks at the taller man, and Harry looks at him sheepishly. “I remembered you used to like them a lot back in school.”

Louis smiles and squeezes Harry’s hand that’s on the gearshift. “Thanks, Haz. It’s much better than Taylor Swift anyway.”

Harry laughs and that’s that.

_///_

They end up not going to the wedding, just the reception, and the venue is beautiful. It’s in a hotel ballroom and it’s decorated with turquoise and cream colors, but not in a way that’s overwhelming.

Harry leads him to a table where there are three people sitting down, two of which Louis instantly recognizes, and it must be due to their striking resemblance to Harry. Both women seem to recognize him as well, for they look surprised and get out of their seats when they see him, both wrapping him in a hug.

“Hi Anne, Hi Gemma,” Louis laughs when they let him go.

“Louis, you’ve grown so much!” Is the first thing Anne says.

“I didn’t believe it when Harry told us he’d be bringing you tonight,” Gemma snickers. Well, that solves the whole recognizing him thing.

“Well, believe it,” Louis chuckles.

The man that was sitting between Anne and Gemma stands up and sticks his hand out. “I’m Robin, Anne’s husband,” he says as Louis gives him a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Louis.”

“Likewise,” Louis smiles.

All three of them sit down and Louis looks behind him only to find Harry staring down at him with a soft smile on his face. He gestures for Louis to take a seat next to Anne and sits down next to him, immediately slinging his arm across the back of Louis’ chair.

A server comes by and sets a glass of white wine in front of each person at the table, and Louis takes a big gulp; he feels he’s going to need it.

“So, Louis,” Anne starts. “How’s your mum? And your sisters? _God_ , I haven’t seen them in so long, they must be all grown up now!”

“They’re good!” Louis smiles. “And yeah, Lottie’s in uni; Fizzy’s almost done with Sixth Form and the twins are almost in college. Oh man, I feel old.” That last part makes everyone at the table laugh and Louis imagines that this could’ve been happening for a long time if Louis hadn’t stopped talking to Harry in Year 8.

“How long have you two been dating?” Gemma asks.

Louis chokes a little on the sip of wine he just took and looks pointedly at Harry. The taller man squeezes Louis’ shoulder and cracks a smile, directed at Louis and then at his family. “We’re taking it slow right now, no need for labels. Right honey?”

And Louis just. Louis forces a smile so big it looks like it hurts and puts his hand on Harry’s knee, squeezing _hard_. “Right, pumpkin.”

It’s a little tense after that.

_///_

“Ladies, time to catch the bouquet!” The DJ announces through the microphone and you might’ve thought he was giving free makeovers. “I’m gonna need all the ladies on the dancefloor with their game face on.”

Louis is very happy sitting where he is and talking to Anne, but Gemma grabs his hand and tries to drag him to the group of women gathering in the middle of the dancefloor, but he stays put. “C’mon Lou!” Gemma whines. “It’s gonna be fun, even if you don’t catch it!”

And Louis was expecting _at least_ Harry to defend him but no, he just eggs Gemma on. “Yeah Lou, it’ll be fun!” He says, dragging out the ‘u’.

Anne doesn’t stop her daughter either. She actually pushes Louis out of his chair –gently, so he has nothing else to do but let Gemma pull him to the hoard of women.

Louis swears that only a second passes between Gemma pulling him away from the table and to the dancefloor, because next thing he knows he has a bouquet of lilies in his hand. All the women are looking at him with nothing short of surprise on their faces, clapping and some even squealing (Gemma and Anne, mostly). They both look between Louis all the way to where Harry’s standing on the edge of the dancefloor and then the chanting starts.

“Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss,” everyone starts saying until Harry is standing in front of Louis, looking down at him, and the chanting reaches a deafening tone.

“So, are you gonna let me kiss you or what?” Harry asks.

And the thing is, Louis is still kind of pissed at him that he told his family they were dating when they _aren’t_ , because this just fucks with Louis’ head. But he can’t resist the way those big green eyes are looking at him, so full of want but also so softly. Louis flicks his gaze down to Harry’s lips and they’re inching closer and closer, and he can’t wait to feel those plump lips against his own thin ones, and he just. He surges up on his tiptoes and kisses Harry.

It’s soft and rough at the same time. Harry kisses the same way the talks, slow and sure; his tongue parting Louis’ lips and stroking against Louis’ own. Louis hums a soft noise in the back of his throat and they should probably stop it because they’re in front of Harry’s family and it’s not the most ideal place to makeout in.

They pull apart and Louis slowly opens his eyes, his gaze flittering between Harry’s lips and his eyes, and only then does he realize that Harry’s hands are holding his waist, almost touching behind his back, his thumbs over Louis’ hipbones.

They smile at each other and look around them, Harry’s family clapping for them; some of Harry’s cousins even yelling “get some!” at Harry. Harry flips them off and brings Louis to his chest and tucking Louis’ head in the crook of his neck.

It’s nice.

_///_

“Sooo, you tell your family we’re dating and basically makeout with me in the middle of the dancefloor?” Louis asks.

They’re on the way to the agency and Louis rode the high off the kiss a long time ago, he’s back to being pissed.

“Well, yeah. I wasn’t going to tell them you’re getting paid to be there,” Harry says as if Louis’ dumb.

“True, but you could’ve just said I was your friend?”

“Well I didn’t want to.” Harry says nothing after that so Louis shuts up and quietly lets his mind run wild, thinking of what it could mean.

Harry pulls up to the agency and parks the car. He turns to Louis, “I had a really good time tonight, all in all.”

“Well you got to kiss me, that’s the best night you’re ever going to have in your whole life,” Louis can be annoying at times.

Thankfully, Harry laughs. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Louis chirps.

“You should,” Harry smiles. “Goodnight Louis, and thanks for tonight.”

Louis opens the car door and turns to looks at Harry’s lips. In a moment of pure confidence he leans in and kisses him softly. “G’night Haz,” he whispers against Harry’s lips. He gets out of the car and walks inside the house, waving to Harry before closing the door.

 

**_January 20 th, 2016_ **

_You booked me again_ , is the first thing Louis texts Harry that day.

After the wedding they’ve been talking nonstop, but he fell asleep late last night and woke up late this morning, so replying to him slipped his mind. It came back to him when he got to the agency and Niall called him into the office to tell him Harry booked him again for Friday at seven, and Louis doesn’t understand why he feels the need to do so –they basically made out at a family function, they’re pretty much past the booking stage.

Plus, they were friends before anything else, so why does Harry still think it’s necessary to book him when he can just ask him out? Louis won’t say no.

**That, I did. Goodmorning sunshine. x –H**

_I still don’t get why you sign your texts I know it’s you_

**It’s my aesthetic. x –H**

_You are definitely full of shit_

_No but seriously why did you book me again?_

**I told you, this way you have to hang out with me. x –H**

_You know that if you wanna hang out you can just tell me, I’m not gonna say no unless I actually can’t_

**I didn’t know. I’ll keep it in mind for future reference. x –H**

Harry double texts him.

**Harvey’s coming to my desk, see you Friday. xx –H**

 

**_January 22 nd, 2016_ **

Harry sends an Uber to pick him up this time instead of coming himself and the driver takes him to a very lush apartment complex close to Harry’s workplace. He already knows what to do, since Harry texted him instructions this afternoon, so he gets out of the car and walks into the building, taking the elevator up to the fifth floor.

He knocks on apartment 503 and is met by a soft-looking Harry opening the door. “Wow, you really dressed up,” Harry says, looking at Louis in his black slacks and white button-up shirt. Harry’s wearing black skinny jeans and a white V-neck, his hair tucked behind his ears. He’s barefoot and he looks really nice.

“I thought we were going somewhere else after this.”

Harry invites him in and Louis is pleasantly surprised at the decoration and the sheer _size_ of Harry’s flat. He knows Harry comes from money, but he’d like to know just how much his secretary job pays for him to afford half the rent on this place.

There’s a dining-living room and the table is set up very nicely with a big tray of sushi in the middle of it, along with a wine bottle and two sets of plates and cutlery. “Did you make this?” Louis asks once he’s in front of it.

“I didn’t,” Harry laughs. “I got out of work about an hour ago and it wasn’t enough time for me to cook anything good, so I ordered it.”

“You could’ve cooked pasta,” Louis quips, turning around to find Harry right behind him.

Harry puts his hands on Louis’ waist and grins. “I know, but I wanted to impress you if I was going to cook.”

“Such a gentleman,” Louis whispers. He stands on his toes to press a quick kiss to Harry’s lips but the taller man doesn’t let him go that easily; he squeezes Louis’ hips and bites his lower lip, tugging on it lightly. Louis whimpers and pushes against Harry’s chest. “As much as you’d love to makeout with me, I’m hungry and that looks really good.”

Harry rolls his eyes but smiles nonetheless. “You’re an idiot. Let’s eat.”

_///_

“I’m so full, I think I’m going to explode,” Louis groans.

“Hey, no one told you to eat all those California rolls!” Harry laughs, taking a sip of his wine.

“I know, no one tells me to do anything, actually,” Louis sighs.

Harry gives Louis a once-over and bites his lip. “Oh really?”

Louis can hear the tone drop in Harry’s voice and it’s making him shiver. “Yeah,” he whispers.

“You think I can change that?” Harry whispers back.

“I don’t know,” Louis mumbles, his cheeks turning pink.

“We should find out,” Harry winks.

Louis can feel every hair on his body stand on end but his body growing hot. He grins and rolls his eyes, but stands up and walks around the table over to Harry. He pulls his chair out a little and straddles the taller man, draping his arms over his shoulders and lacing his hands together behind his neck.

Louis rolls his hips once, twice, over Harry’s crotch and revels in the way he lets out a throaty groan. “You know,” Louis whispers against his ear, “I really shouldn’t be doing this while on the job.”

Harry smirks and brings his big hands to rub against Louis’ thighs. “Rules are meant to be broken sometimes, don’t you think?”

“Definitely,” Louis says, lips pressed against Harry’s neck.

Harry pulls Louis away for a moment. “But in all seriousness, will you get in trouble with your bosses if you do this? Because we don’t have to.”

Louis mulls it over for a second, gnawing on his bottom lip worriedly. “I mean I would, if they ever found out. But I don’t have to tell them, and neither do you?”

He poses it as a question because really, he _could_ get fired for this, but it’s not even because of the job that he’d like to do it, it’s because there’s way too much sexual tension between them so he’s not even looking at this as a job. It’s just a date with someone he likes.

“Well I only want to do it if you want to do it,” Harry says, circling his thumbs on Louis’ thighs.

“I want to,” Louis nods. “Not as a job, because it really doesn’t feel like one.”

“I know, right?” Harry smiles. “I like you, Lou.”

“Can I be honest with you?” Louis asks, slumping down and trying to hide his face. “I had this _massive_ crush on you back in Year 8.”

Harry chuckles. “I know.”

And Louis wasn’t expecting that. “You absolute wanker!” He yells. “If you knew then why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

Harry yelps at the slap Louis delivers against his chest. “I wasn’t sure if I liked you that way! I was upset when you stopped talking to me out of nowhere, though.”

“Yeah, I was being stupid,” Louis admits. “But I didn’t know how to handle what I was feeling, you know? I didn’t know if it was normal and I didn’t want to find out the hard way, so I just cut you off.”

“Not your best idea,” Harry hums.

“Oh shut up,” Louis says, shaking his head.

“I will, but only if you kiss me,” Harry smirks.

“Harry.”

“Yeah?”

“I want you to fuck me.”

And that just. That just does it.

Harry makes something short of a growl and grabs Louis by the hips and stands up, lifting him, and Louis wraps his legs around Harry’s waist. They kiss the whole way to Harry’s’ room, giggling when Harry takes a wrong turn and they end up in the bathroom instead. Louis calls Harry an idiot, Harry pinches his bum in response.

Once in the room, Harry sits down, letting Louis straddle him and kiss his neck. He unbuttons Louis’ pants while Louis helps him take off his shirt. He tries to do the same, but his fingers get stuck on a couple of buttons and he just tears it off. Rips it wide open.

“Oh my god are you- fuck,” Louis gasps as he looks down at the tattered piece of cloth.

“Sorry Lou, shit. I’ll buy you another one,” Harry apologizes.

“Just shut up,” and they’re kissing again.

Somewhere between Harry taking Louis’ pants off and Louis reaching into Harry’s bedside table for lube and condoms, the smaller man finds himself face down, cock trapped between the mattress and his stomach, with two of Harry’s fingers fucking into him.

“Fuck, more,” he slurs, Harry’s fingers tapping incessantly at his prostate rendering him almost speechless.

“Don’t worry baby, I’ve got you,” Harry takes his two fingers out and pushes back in with three. Louis whimpers at the initial discomfort but Harry’s free hand reaches between the boy’s body and the mattress to grab at his cock and tug, making him relax a bit more.

“Harry, stop,” From the way Harry pulls away you’d think Louis skin burnt him. “No you idiot, I mean stop, I was about to come.”

“Isn’t that what you want though?” And honestly, could Harry be any thicker.

“Harry, I’m only gonna say this once and I hope you get it.” Louis rolls his eyes because Harry’s looking at him with such an innocent expression, yet look at what they’re doing. “I want to come on your cock.”

Harry suddenly surges forward and kisses Louis, yet you’d think he’s just trying to bite Louis’ face off, from the roughness he’s doing it with. He reaches for the condom and rolls one on, slicking himself up with lube quickly. He pulls away for a second, looking at Louis questioningly.

“Wanna ride you,” Louis whispers against his mouth.

And fuck Harry if he says no to that.

Harry scoots further up the bed until he’s sitting against the headboard and beckons Louis closer with his index finger, trying to act sexy. Honestly, who even is this guy. “You are such a dork,” Louis snorts before straddling Harry and getting up on his knees and sinking back _slowlyslowlyslowly_ on Harry’s cock. He’s thicker than Louis bargained for.

“Take it slow babe, don’t wanna hurt you.”

“What do you think I’m doing?” Louis bites back. “If I go any slower than this it’ll be days before you get to fuck me, do you want that?”

“Hell no,” Harry’s quick to say that. “I’d like to fuck you right now.”

“Then do it.” With that, Louis sinks down at the same time Harry fucks up and it feels amazing.

“Oh god,” Louis wails.

Harry only grunts and grips Louis’ waist hard, a silent plea to let him move.

“Move, _fuck_ ,” Louis pants. And Harry does.

Harry plants his feet flat on the bed while his right hand grabs Louis’ asscheek and the left grabs Louis’ neck, bringing him down as he surges up and capturing his mouth again, fucking into Louis fast and hard, punching the air out of the smaller man. Harry revels in the noises Louis is making, little “uh uh uh’s” that go straight to his cock, making him fuck Louis harder.

“Think you can come from my cock?” Louis shakes his head. “Yeah you can, come on baby, first you and I’ll follow.”

“Harry,” Louis cries out. “I _can’t_. Please please _please_ touch me.”

His pleas fall on deaf ears. Harry shakes his head and attaches his mouth to Louis’ neck, biting and sucking, then running his tongue over the marks he leaves. He feels himself hurtling towards the edge, so he prompts Louis to finish. He brings his mouth to Louis’ ear and whispers “Come for me, Louis,” and that’s all it takes.

Louis’ cock spurts out rope after rope of come, some even hitting his chin, the smaller man shaking through the aftershocks. Harry soothes him by running his hands up and down his sides for a moment, but then he grabs Louis’ ass and spreads his cheeks, fucking into his hole shallow and fast, chasing his own release. Louis’ face rests in the crook of Harry’s neck and the little hiccupy sounds he makes do it for Harry, the man emptying into the condom.

They rest like that for a minute, chasing their breaths, then Harry pulls Louis from off him and lays him down on the bed. He pulls off the condom, walks to the bathroom and throws it in the trash, then comes back to the bedroom with a damp washcloth to run all over Louis’ torso, as well as clean between his legs. He throws the towel somewhere next to the bed and pulls the duvet off it, laying down and bringing the smaller boy with him, Louis’ head resting on Harry’s chest, his small hands tracing patterns on Harry’s stomach.

 

**_January 26 th, 2016_ **

It’s been four days since _that_ night at Harry’s and Louis hasn’t talked to him since. It’s not that Harry hasn’t tried to reach him, it’s that Louis hasn’t replied.

After _that_ happened, Harry dropped him off at the agency and kissed him goodbye, promising to text him the next day and he did, but Louis didn’t text him back. He’s freaking out and doesn’t know how to cope with it. So, he takes a sick day from work and stays in bed all day today, thinking about the past three weeks.

He hasn’t gone out of his room all day except for food, so Liam and Zayn decide to barge in at two in the afternoon, right in the middle of Louis’ _Modern Family_ marathon. They’re very rude.

“You’re rude,” He echoes.

“No, we’re your roommates,” Zayn quips. “There’s a difference.”

“Yes but the idea of personal space still stands.”

“You said it yourself: the idea,” Zayn smiles at him sweetly.

Liam takes a seat by the foot of Louis’ bed while Zayn sits next to Louis. “Not going to work today, then?” Liam asks.

“Nah, not really feeling it at the mo,” Louis says as he closes his laptop and scoots further down the bed so he can lay on Zayn.

“What’s wrong?” Zayn asks, wrapping his arm around Louis.

Louis hasn’t told neither Liam nor Zayn about the Harry situation and he really wasn’t planning to, but now that Zayn’s asked about it, there’s really no evading the conversation. “I met a boy.” Neither of the two guys say anything, so Louis takes it as a sign to continue. “I met a boy and I really like him but I don’t _want to_ because what if he gets too attached? Oh my god what if we fall in love and my job gets in the way and he makes me quit or starts judging me and breaks my heart??? I just- I don’t know.”

“First thing’s first,” Liam starts. “Does he like you back?”

Louis nods.

“Does he know about your job?” Zayn asks this time.

Louis nods again.

“And, just to clarify, he still likes you?” Liam grins.

Louis nods, slowly this time.

“Well then you should talk to him about it. Call him or meet up with him somewhere and lay it out on him; tell him about your feelings and your main worry, and who knows? Maybe he’ll feel the same way and you can both work something out.” Liam says.

“Yeah, I second that you should talk to him. If he already likes you and knows about your job, I don’t think there’s much else that could throw him off. If he’s alright with your work then he’s open-minded enough, he’ll probably be open to whatever you have to say.” Zayn says.

“Well he doesn’t only _know_ about the job; he’s booked me. Twice.” Louis hides behind his hands.

“That changes things,” Liam hums. “You should ask him about his true feelings.”

“Yeah, Lou. You should find out if he likes you as a person or if the idea of you working as an escort does something for him,” Zayn agrees.

“I don’t really think it’s because of me escorting,” Louis argues. “He’s such a genuinely nice guy and we know each other from our school years, we just stopped talking in Year 8 and never got around to speaking again until we ran into each other at the pub like three weeks ago.”

“Just talk to him,” both Liam and Zayn say at the same time. They’re so in sync sometimes that Louis gets a little creeped out.

The rest of the day is spent in Louis’ bedroom watching reruns of _Modern Family_ and they order takeout at one point, and Louis wouldn’t have it any other way. Here, with his two best friends in the world, knowing that anything that comes Louis’ way he can get through if he has these two by his side.

 

**_February 2 nd, 2016_ **

Louis is an idiot.

He doesn’t call nor text Harry to speak about anything, not even a ‘good morning’. Harry doesn’t try to reach him either, he stopped after the first four days of Louis not replying, and Louis doesn’t know how to feel about it.

He gets to work and is called into the office by Niall, who tells him he has another date for this Friday. He sits down in front of the desk and gets handed a folder, one he knows all too well.

“Harry,” Louis says.

“Yeah, I guess he likes you; he’s been booking you all the time lately, even more than Harvey!” Niall laughs.

“Yeah, I guess he does…” Louis breathes.

_///_

Louis texts him twice after that, but Harry doesn’t reply.

It makes him uneasy.

 

**_February 5 th, 2016_ **

Harry doesn’t text him at all after he books him, but Louis has too much pride to cave in first, so neither does he.

An Uber picks him up at the agency and drives him all the way to the countryside until they reach a cute little park that has little kids running around with their parents, even though it’s almost seven. Louis isn’t really dressed up for this –whatever _this_ is, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to have a date in a park, out of all places.

The Uber driver gets out of the car, which is very uncommon, and opens Louis’ door, helping him get out. He locks the car and gestures for Louis to go first, then starts walking behind him and this is it, Louis is going to die tonight and it’s by the hands of an Uber driver and the getaway is going to be easy because he already has a car and does Harry even _know_ about this?

All that goes flying out the window once they reach a small clearance decorated with various lanterns in a circle, a picnic blanket laying in the middle of it. Louis turns around to ask the Uber driver what exactly is going on, when he finds that the man isn’t even there. Branches move to Louis’ left and he makes a little noise that he will forever deny he made, and Harry appears.

Harry, wearing grey slacks and a white button-up with a red tie. He must’ve come here straight from work, then.

“Talk about reversed roles,” Louis jokes, looking down at his attire consisting of black jeans and a maroon sweater under his coat. Also, why isn’t Harry wearing a coat? It’s cold as fuck. “Why aren’t you wearing a coat?”

“It clashes with the whole aesthetic I’m trying to achieve,” Harry says in all seriousness.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be tired of saying this but you are _so full of shit_ , Harry.”

“Why did you ignore me, Louis?”

“I uh-“

“Louis, why did you ignore me.” Harry’s frowning now, coming closer to the shorter man.

“Well, do you want me to lie?” When Harry shakes his head, Louis continues. “I don’t know what to do, I guess.”

Harry steps away from Louis and sits on the blanket, looking up at him. He frowns. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know what to do when it comes to _you_ , Harry.” Harry looks more confused now than before. “It’s just I’ve been thinking and I really like you –pretty sure you like me too, by the way, but I guess I’m scared? Of liking you too much because what if my job gets in the way or you start getting jealous of my clients even though _nothing_ goes on and you know it and it’s just.” Louis takes a breath. “It’s happened to me before and I don’t think I could handle it happening again.”

By now, Harry’s standing up in front of Louis, looking down at him with those bright green eyes of his. “You don’t have to worry about that because it won’t happen. Like I told you that first night, I’m not going to judge you for doing what makes you happy and I won’t become jealous of anyone either, because Lou, I’m pretty sure I’m the only one you like –no offense to Harvey.”

Louis chuckles at that last part and walks closer to Harry, laying his head against his chest as Harry wraps his arms around him. “I’m scared anyway, Haz. It’s- it’s weird.”

“Well we can work it out together and you know it. I don’t know about you, but those ten years made us mature quite a bit,” Harry laughs. “I’m glad we found each other when we did, if I’m honest.”

“I’m glad, too.”

Harry places a kiss atop Louis’ head and they stand there, embracing each other for a while, until a full-body shiver runs through Harry.

“You should probably get your coat,” Louis sighs.

“I probably should, yeah. Wanna come to my flat? I can make us something to eat.” Harry proposes. He takes Louis’ smaller hand in his and starts walking to wherever his car’s parked.

“Sure, but Haz?” Louis asks.

Harry hums.

“What about the lanterns and the blanket? Don’t wanna get arrested for starting a fire,” Louis grins.

Harry stops in his tracks and goes back to the clearing, he picks up the blanket and hands it to Louis, then starts to blow out the lanterns one by one. He comes back to Louis’ side and starts walking again. “The lanterns will be here tomorrow anyway, I’ll come back and pick them up.”

Louis just shrugs.

_///_

They’re in Harry’s flat now, both on the couch with Louis’ feet on Harry’s thighs, nursing an enormous food baby. “I feel like I’m going to give birth,” Louis groans. “Where did you learn how to cook so well?”

“Well, do you want the truth?” Harry asks and Louis nods. “I go through cooking blogs every day for like two hours.”

Louis laughs.

He is in love with a dork.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always encouraged. I'm still learning to write stories though, so go easy on me, please! :)


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